"From 1990 to 2005 Africa lost on average $18 billion a year because of conflicts. This is money our continent can ill afford to lose" - Sirleaf tells delegates

New York: In a passionate appeal to governments negotiating an Arms Trade Treaty at the United Nations until the 27th July, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia called on them to "make history in the next few days and change the world for the better." The Nobel Peace Prize laureate reminded delegates via a video message (http://youtu.be/P9PVSdwbDXg) to the main plenary of the importance and urgency to agree on a strong treaty as it represents "a once in a lifetime opportunity to agree tough controls on the arms trade."

President Sirleaf has been a longtime advocate, alongside international agency Oxfam and the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA), for the Arms Trade Treaty. She offered to speak directly to delegates at the United Nations to address them on the urgency in having an arms trade treaty.